British-Filipino musician Towa Bird went viral on TikTok in 2020 for her guitar covers of artists such as The 1975, WILLOW, and Childish Gambino. On June 28, 2023, she released her debut album, American Hero, under Interscope Records. Her viral status grew after her appearance in Olivia Rodrigo’s 2021 documentary Driving Home 2 U (A Sour Film) and playing for her now-girlfriend Renée Rapp on tour last year. With a few electric pop-punk singles such as “Drain Me!” and “Wild Heart”, the 25-year-old tested the waters as Rapp’s opening act before creating her debut album. Across 13 tracks, Towa Bird remains true to herself, as she leans into a mix of pop-punk and grunge nostalgia and offers a fresh perspective on queer anthems.
American Hero opens strong with the hard-hitting, guitar driven “Intro.” Honing in on 2000s pop-punk nostalgia, Bird immediately set the album’s tone with her knack for loud infatuated anthems. On “FML,” Bird nearly chants her romantic bliss over electric guitar riffs. “Sit on the couch and watch Jennifer’s Body / Tell you she’s hot and then say I’m sorry / I’m sorry.” The following track, “Drain Me” continues down the same path, but Towa’s intensity and overwhelming passion push the song to the next level. “Take what you want / You want, you want, you want / Drain me / Drain me.”
On the fifth track “Sorry, Sorry,” the singer reflects on her friendship with a girl who wants a relationship, but she’s already taken. She sings, “If we’re starting something / It’ll be the start of the end / Don’t want another lover / If it means losing you as a friend / I hope you understand.” The tender, yet undeniably rock, track is full of sapphic yearning and showcases a vulnerable side of the singer.
On “Last Dance” and “This Isn’t Me,” Towa struggles with missing old friendships and herself due to the alienation of the spotlight. The songs harness the singer’s typical exhilarating guitar driven melodies, while expressing her whirlwind of anxieties and emotions.
Slower than previous tracks, the dreaminess of twelfth track “May Flower” is carried by Towa’s appreciation and love for someone who helps ease her anxiousness of the music industry. Her voice echoes throughout the track, capturing all of her vulnerability and love. “May, I don’t wanna seem too eager to say / I spent the last month in a terrible way / Thought I was crazy crying in the shower / Turns out all I needed was my pretty little May Flower.”
The album closes with “A Party,” an acoustic track covering the unspoken feelings between Towa and a close friend of hers. As she sings the chorus: “Your eyes glued to mine / And they keep me hanging / Read between the lines / Of your body language,” the emotion packed into these few lines are as hard-hitting as the album’s more pop-punk tracks. With only her first album, Towa has mastered how to fluidly transitions from a fiery, energetic track to a reflective, chilling acoustic. American Hero expresses and embraces the singer for who she is without allowing fame alter her personality.
